Over the next few weeks, we're going to look back at last year's rookies in an effort to assess what their role will be in 2018 and where we can expect them to make improvements on what they brought to the table last year.

Derrick Jones was considered a bit of a long-term project when the Jets selected him with their final pick in 2017's draft. He's a terrific athletic with excellent size and length, but was considered raw having spent much of his collegiate career as a wide receiver, starting just eight games in total. The Jets carried him on their active roster all year, but he only suited up for three games and didn't get any defensive reps.

Which cornerbacks could Jets target in NFL Draft?

By Bent | Feb 16 | 5:30PM

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(Trevor Ruszkowski)

Bent, theJetsBlog.comFollow on Twitter: Cornerback is one position where the Jets obviously need to upgrade.

They opted not to pick up a corner from last year's deep draft class until they took two project players - Jeremy Clark and Derrick Jones - in the sixth round. The coaching staff claimed to like the upside of these players along with Juston Burris and Darryl Roberts as well as Rashard Robinson, who was added via trade at the deadline.

Defensive players lead list of Jets' inactive players in Week 5

Oct 8, 2017 | 12:15PM

The Jets' defense will be missing several players due to injury in the team's Week five matchup against the Browns on Sunday in Cleveland.

OLB Josh Martin is out with an ankle injury, DE Kony Ealy is out with a shoulder injury, and two Jets' cornerbacks, Darryl Roberts (hamstring) and Justin Burris (foot), will also be out. Marcus Williams and Derrick Jones will be replacing them this week, according to NJ Advance Media.

RB Matt Forte (toe) and LB Josh Martin (ankle) wil also be out for the Jets. Christian Hackenberg and LB Obum Gwacham are healthy scratches.

Jones, who averaged 11.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in his lone season with the Runnin' Rebels, was not invited to next week's NBA Combine in Chicago, but is one of many players who declared for the draft who is undergoing workouts. Kentucky's Isaiah Briscoe, San Diego State's Malik Pope, Xavier's Trevon Bluiett and Indiana's Yogi Ferrell are just some of the other players not invited to the Combine who are going through workouts.

The NCAA has disqualfied high-flying UNLV freshman forward Derrick Jones after his test score was cancelled by the ACT and his attorney says the move is racially motivated.

Jones, who initially chose UNLV over UConn and Auburn out of Radnor (Pa.) Archbishop Carroll, is now unable to practice or play with the Rebels.

"The NCAA notified the University of Nevada-Las Vegas yesterday that the ACT test score of Freshmen forward, Derrick Jones, Jr. had been cancelled by the ACT resulting in his status being changed to 'non-qualifier,'" attorney Don Jackson wrote in a statement. "This decision came in the aftermath of the NCAA's designating Jones as a full qualifier and Jones participating in thirty basketball games this season."